Chapter 42

Chapter 42

"Mu Nanzhe secretly installed surveillance in the bedroom, so his wife thought he didn’t know about her affair. But in reality, every time she cheated with her lover, Mu Nanzhe was secretly watching."

"Later, Mu Nanzhe was no longer satisfied with just spying through the camera. He started deliberately telling his wife he was going out, but in reality, he hid under the bed or inside the closet to listen to the live action..."

"Finally, one day, his actions were discovered by his wife. She called Mu Nanzhe a sick pervert and wanted to divorce him, but Mu Nanzhe refused. He threatened his wife and her lover with the videos, making them keep doing it at home... or else he would expose them and spread the videos everywhere."

"At first, Mu Nanzhe’s wife refused, but after doing it once or twice, she found it thrilling—like some kinky game. However, her lover couldn’t handle being watched during their intimate moments. He couldn’t take it anymore and was ready to expose this freak couple... In a way, Mu Nanzhe and his wife were a perfect match."

"But once Mu Nanzhe’s scandal breaks out, will Lin Chengyan’s shoot even survive this?"

With a clatter, Lin Chengyan’s chopsticks fell to the table, and Lin Tingyue’s mental narration cut off.

Only then did she realize the whole family had stopped eating and was staring at her in shock.

Lin Tingyue: “?”

She self-consciously touched her face and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lin Chengyan stood up. “I need to make a call.”

Meanwhile, the others, who had been engrossed in the gossip, came to their senses and began heaping food onto Lin Tingyue’s plate.

Soon, her plate was piled sky-high.

Lin Tingyue: “…”

“Why do I feel like I’m a pig?”

Bai Yaxin snorted with laughter and patted Lin Tingyue’s head, who still didn't get it. “Eat up.”

Lin Tingyue could only nod.

When Lin Chengyan returned, though everyone knew his crew might face recasting and wouldn’t start filming anytime soon, they still raised their glasses in unison to wish him good luck with filming.

Around nine in the evening, Lin Tingyue opened her bedroom door and was surprised to find Lin Chengyan looming outside.

Lin Tingyue asked, “Second Brother, what are you doing here?”

Lin Chengyan was struggling for words when Lin Tingyue suddenly opened the door. Startled, he shoved a card stiffly into her arms.

Lin Tingyue played dumb. “What’s this?”

Lin Chengyan said with false arrogance, “Just take it. There’s not much in there—just a few million. I’ll transfer more after I get my paycheck.”

“A few million isn’t much???”

Lin Chengyan: “…”

He had clearly overestimated this little gold-digger.

But if the shoot really suffered losses because of Mu Nanzhe, it would far exceed the amount he’d given Lin Tingyue.

Lin Tingyue furtively stuffed the card into her pajama pocket before warily asking, “Second Brother, why are you suddenly giving me money?”

“Don’t want it? Give it back.”

“Yes! Yes!”

Lin Tingyue turned around with a smile, her eyes curving. "Thanks, Second Brother."

Lin Chengyan smirked. "No problem."

He then asked, "Why did you open the door?"

Lin Tingyue said, "Food run."

"Food run???"

Lin Chengyan looked her up and down. "You're hungry again?"

Lin Tingyue nodded emphatically. "Yeah."

Lin Chengyan was completely shocked, but he still followed her downstairs. When Lin Tingyue asked why, he said he was worried she might burn down the kitchen.

Lin Tingyue: "..."

"Come on! My cooking isn't amazing, but I do have basic kitchen skills."

Once they reached the first floor, Lin Tingyue realized Lin Chengyan was going to cook for her.

"Whoa."

"But wouldn’t Second Brother be the one to burn down the kitchen?"

Lin Chengyan was at a loss for words. Just as he opened the fridge, Lin Yuhuan came back.

"What's going on?"

Lin Yuhuan glanced at his younger siblings and asked, "Hungry?"

Lin Chengyan and Lin Tingyue nodded vigorously.

Seeing their eldest brother back, Lin Chengyan became part of the group waiting to be fed without hesitation.

Lin Yuhuan shed his suit jacket and pushed up his sleeves. "What do you want to eat?"

Lin Tingyue said, "Noodles."

Lin Chengyan said, "Noodles."

Lin Yuhuan: "..."

"Tingyue, go ask Xia Wan if she wants some."

"Got it, Big Bro."

"Wow, Eldest Brother is actually a homebody tycoon—presentable in the parlor, handy in the kitchen."

Lin Yuhuan: "?"

What’s a homebody tycoon?

Soon, Lin Xiawan came downstairs with Lin Tingyue.

When Bai Yaxin came for water, she saw the four of them happily enjoying noodles together.

She felt instantly comforted and politely turned down the children's invitation for a midnight snack.

Back in the bedroom, Bai Yaxin was still smiling.

Lin Rusong asked, "Wasn’t it just going downstairs to get some water? Why are you so happy?"

Bai Yaxin walked to the bed, and Lin Rusong pulled back the covers on her side. She lay down and told him about the scene she had just witnessed downstairs.

After imagining the scene, Lin Rusong chuckled along with Bai Yaxin. "It’s wonderful they’re getting so close."

Bai Yaxin agreed.

"Time for bed. You're so excited—does that mean you're not going to sleep?" Lin Rusong teased.

Bai Yaxin lay down but then sat up again, just dodging Lin Rusong’s attempt to pull her into his arms.

Lin Rusong: "?"

Bai Yaxin said teasingly, "How about we plan a family outing? It’s been a while since we’ve all gone away together."

"Sure."

"You're agreeing so readily now, but don’t bail on us at the last minute."

A little embarrassed by Bai Yaxin’s remark, Lin Rusong replied, "When have I ever bailed on us? We always follow your lead, right?"

Bai Yaxin teased, "Such a suck-up."

Lin Rusong: "..."

Early the next morning, Bai Yaxin announced the plan, asking everyone to clear two days for the family trip.

Lin Chengyan and Lin Tingyue were free—it mainly depended on Lin Xiawan, Lin Yuhuan, and Lin Rusong’s schedules.

Meeting Bai Yaxin’s hopeful gaze, Lin Xiawan paused and said, "After the art show, I won’t be too busy. I’m free anytime."

Lin Yuhuan was the same.

So two days later, the whole Lin family headed out to enjoy some time off.

Of course, summer calls for water activities.

Next to the vacation rental Lin Yuhuan booked was a water park.

They could play water gun fights or go rafting.

Lin Rusong and Bai Yaxin, not being spring chickens, naturally weren’t up for rafting, so they opted for the water gun battle—only to be surrounded by Lin Chengyan and his team.

But Lin Chengyan’s teammates weren’t entirely reliable. At the critical moment, they switched sides, and everyone went after just him.

Lin Chengyan had to surrender.

"Gotta admit," one of them said, "even soaking wet, Second Brother is still handsome. He really should break into the entertainment industry."

Lin Chengyan smirked and got the idea to do a pose for Weibo.

"Ugh," another one groaned, "Second Brother’s being cheesy again. Never mind what I just said."

Lin Chengyan: "..."

Meanwhile, a conversation was taking place on the other side.

"Yan, stop worrying. I came with you today just to make sure you have a good time."

"But..."

"Yan, you're here now. That creep won't find you here."

Liang Yan gave a wry smile. "I hope so."

"Hey, Yan, look over there—oh, what's-his-name? Isn’t that your favorite celebrity?" Hua Qin’s eyes lit up.

Liang Yan glanced over and was visibly thrilled. "Oh my god, it’s really Lin Chengyan!"

"Right, right! Yan, your luck’s finally changing. Let’s go get his autograph!"

Liang Yan hesitated. "I’m too nervous..."

"What are you scared of? I’ll go with you."

Hua Qin took Liang Yan’s hand, and the two walked toward Lin Chengyan together.

"Hello."

Lin Chengyan turned around and saw two excited girls—perhaps his fans?

He asked, "What’s up?"

Hua Qin elbowed Liang Yan, and Liang Yan finally mustered her courage. "I—I’m your fan, Chengyan. Could I get your autograph?"

Lin Chengyan agreed right away. "Of course."

However, neither Hua Qin nor Liang Yan had brought paper or a pen. Fortunately, Lin Chengyan had prepared his own, kept in a waterproof pouch.

"You say Er-ge is narcissistic, yet he’s so polite. You say he’s polite, yet he carries paper and a pen around like he’s certain he’ll run into fans."

Duh.

That’s what being an A-list star is all about.

Lin Chengyan was feeling pretty smug, but Hua Qin and Liang Yan flinched—what was that voice just now?

"Besides the autograph, would you like anything else? A message, perhaps?"

Liang Yan was already overjoyed to have Lin Chengyan’s autograph and didn’t want to trouble him further, but Hua Qin spoke up. "Could you write ‘Good luck’ for her? My friend’s been having a bit of bad luck lately."

"Sure," Lin Chengyan said as he wrote on the paper, offering reassurance. "Things will get better."

"Bad luck?"

Lin Tingyue scrolled through her phone.

"Whoa, she’s not just unlucky—it’s way worse."

"She’s being stalked by some creep. She told the guy over and over that she doesn’t know him, but he won’t stop following her. He even moved in across from her to spy on her..."

Wait, what?!

Hua Qin clenched her fists. She’d assumed the stalker was just tailing Yan sometimes—she didn’t know he was watching her?!

Alright, she’ll change her last name if she doesn’t send that creep to jail!

"Recently, the creep has been acting even crazier, constantly harassing the girl and demanding to know why she dumped him. But in reality, it wasn’t the girl who broke up with him—it was her boyfriend who broke up with him."

Liang Yan froze. Her boyfriend broke up with the stalker who had been following her?

"The boyfriend catfished the stalker using the girl’s photos, tricking him into a relationship, and swindling him out of most of his money. When he was about to close the trap, the girl got caught in the crossfire for no reason..."

"Wait—plot twist? The stalker, who was originally detained, got released and found a hefty compensation payout in his bank account. The girl’s boyfriend got greedy and agreed to reconcile with the stalker. He even decided to..."

"They’re both in this homestay right now!"